Overview

The subject covers the design and development of artificial medical implants – hip joints, heart valves and prosthetic limbs. But it also encompasses medical technology such as surgical robots, nanomedicine, tissue engineering and diagnostic tools. Another branch of biomedical engineering focuses on how our bodies function and the biomaterials from which we are made.

You’ll study core engineering modules, alongside specialist biomedical engineering modules from the first semester so you can start to develop in-depth knowledge. Final-year option modules cover tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, biomechanics, medical imaging and robotics. Your third-year individual research project will be based on your own interests and integrated into the School’s world-leading research activities.

Students who choose to take the MEng degree will carry out a group project linked to industry and containing appropriate clinical input, with a focus on solving real biomedical engineering design problems.

Undergraduate Open Days

Structure

You can complete your Biomedical Engineering degree in three, four or five years.
If you are a BEng student and choose to do a year in industry or study abroad, this will take place in Year 3 and Year 3 modules will instead be studied in Year 4.
If you are an MEng student and choose to do a year in industry or study abroad, this will take place in Year 4 and Year 4 modules will be studied in Year 5.

Study options

Apply for this degree with any of the following options. Take care to use the correct UCAS code - it may not be possible to change your selection later.

Year in industry

Apply for our Biomedical Engineering BEng or MEng with Industrial Experience to spend a year in industry. You'll put your understanding of biomedical engineering into practice in a real-world environment, gaining invaluable experience for your future career.

Master of Engineering (MEng)

Take an extra year to study your choice of advanced modules and complete a high-level group project. Apply for our Biomedical Engineering MEng, ideal if you want to go into research and development, or to give you an edge in the job market.

Year abroad

Go global and study abroad as part of your degree – apply for our Biomedical Engineering BEng or MEng with a Year Abroad. Queen Mary has links with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (partnerships vary for each degree programme).

You can do either a year in industry or a year abroad - you cannot combine these options.

Testimonial

The structure of the course and the method of delivering it made every component very interesting throughout the three years. This is especially because the course is taught by some of the best researchers in the country, who teach state of the art research rather than relying on textbooks.

Hamzah Ezairjawi, Biomedical Engineering (2017)

Teaching

Teaching and learning

You’ll learn through a combination of lectures, laboratory practicals and problem-based learning.

You should plan for 14-17 hours of formal teaching each week, plus time spent on group projects. For every hour spent in class, you’ll complete a further one to two hours of independent study.

Assessment

Assessment typically includes a combination of coursework, written reports, projects, presentations, group work and exams in the summer.

Studying Biomedical Engineering

Our undergraduate students talk about their experience of studying Biomedical Engineering.

Entry requirements

Biomedical Engineering - BEng (Hons)

A-Level

Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Mathematics, and Physics or Chemistry. Excludes General Studies and Critical Thinking.

IB

International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 34 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Mathematics at Higher Level, and either Physics or Chemistry, also at Higher Level.

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a Physics and Mathematics based discipline. Entry will normally be to the BEng or BSc. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 33 credits must be at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Before a decision is made, applicants will be invited to a Maths test at Queen Mary, normally in April. This Maths test will assess whether an applicants ability in Maths is at the required level. Applicants will be contacted shortly after the test with a decision on their application.

GCSE

Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.

EPQ

Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.

Contextualised admissions

We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.

Biomedical Engineering with Industrial Experience - BEng (Hons)

A-Level

Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Mathematics, and Physics or Chemistry. Excludes General Studies and Critical Thinking.

IB

International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 34 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Mathematics at Higher Level, and either Physics or Chemistry, also at Higher Level.

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a Physics and Mathematics based discipline. Entry will normally be to the BEng or BSc. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 33 credits must be at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Before a decision is made, applicants will be invited to a Maths test at Queen Mary, normally in April. This Maths test will assess whether an applicants ability in Maths is at the required level. Applicants will be contacted shortly after the test with a decision on their application.

GCSE

Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.

EPQ

Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.

Contextualised admissions

We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.

Biomedical Engineering with Year Abroad - BEng (Hons)

A-Level

Grades AAB at A-Level. This must include A-Level Mathematics, and Physics or Chemistry. Excludes General Studies and Critical Thinking.

IB

International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 34 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Mathematics at Higher Level, and either Physics or Chemistry, also at Higher Level.

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a Physics and Mathematics based discipline. Entry will normally be to the BEng or BSc. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 33 credits must be at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Before a decision is made, applicants will be invited to a Maths test at Queen Mary, normally in April. This Maths test will assess whether an applicants ability in Maths is at the required level. Applicants will be contacted shortly after the test with a decision on their application.

GCSE

Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.

EPQ

Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.

Contextualised admissions

We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.

Biomedical Engineering - MEng (Hons)

This programme requires ATAS clearance. Students who are not EEA or Swiss nationals may require ATAS clearance to undertake this course. The CAH3 code for this course is CAH10-01-02. Further information on ATAS can be found on our Advice and Counselling webpages.

A-Level

Grades AAA at A-Level. This must include A-Level Mathematics, and Physics or Chemistry. Excludes General Studies and Critical Thinking.

IB

International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 36 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Mathematics at Higher Level, and either Physics or Chemistry, also at Higher Level.

BTEC

BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.

Access HE

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a Physics and Mathematics based discipline. Entry will normally be to the BEng or BSc. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 33 credits must be at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Before a decision is made, applicants will be invited to a Maths test at Queen Mary, normally in April. This Maths test will assess whether an applicants ability in Maths is at the required level. Applicants will be contacted shortly after the test with a decision on their application.

GCSE

Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.

EPQ

Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.

Contextualised admissions

We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.

Biomedical Engineering with Industrial Experience - MEng (Hons)

This programme requires ATAS clearance. Students who are not EEA or Swiss nationals may require ATAS clearance to undertake this course. The CAH3 code for this course is CAH10-01-02. Further information on ATAS can be found on our Advice and Counselling webpages.

A-Level

Grades AAA at A-Level. This must include A-Level Mathematics, and Physics or Chemistry. Excludes General Studies and Critical Thinking.

IB

International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 36 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Mathematics at Higher Level, and either Physics or Chemistry, also at Higher Level.

BTEC

BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.

Access HE

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a Physics and Mathematics based discipline. Entry will normally be to the BEng or BSc. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 33 credits must be at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Before a decision is made, applicants will be invited to a Maths test at Queen Mary, normally in April. This Maths test will assess whether an applicants ability in Maths is at the required level. Applicants will be contacted shortly after the test with a decision on their application.

GCSE

Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.

EPQ

Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.

Contextualised admissions

We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.

Biomedical Engineering with Year Abroad - MEng (Hons)

This programme requires ATAS clearance. Students who are not EEA or Swiss nationals may require ATAS clearance to undertake this course. The CAH3 code for this course is CAH10-01-02. Further information on ATAS can be found on our Advice and Counselling webpages.

A-Level

Grades AAA at A-Level. This must include A-Level Mathematics, and Physics or Chemistry. Excludes General Studies and Critical Thinking.

IB

International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 36 points overall, including 6,6,5 from three Higher Level subjects. This must include Mathematics at Higher Level, and either Physics or Chemistry, also at Higher Level.

BTEC

BTEC qualifications are not considered for entry to this programme.

Access HE

We consider applications from students with the Access to Higher Education Diploma in a Physics and Mathematics based discipline. Entry will normally be to the BEng or BSc. The minimum academic requirement is to achieve 60 credits overall, with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 33 credits must be at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit or higher. Applications are considered on a case by case basis. Before a decision is made, applicants will be invited to a Maths test at Queen Mary, normally in April. This Maths test will assess whether an applicants ability in Maths is at the required level. Applicants will be contacted shortly after the test with a decision on their application.

GCSE

Minimum five GCSE passes including English at grade C or 4.

EPQ

Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.

Contextualised admissions

We consider every application on its individual merits and will take into consideration your individual educational experiences and context. More information on how academic schools and programmes use this information as part of the admissions process, can be found on our contextualised admissions pages.

Non-UK students

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.

If your qualifications are not accepted for direct entry onto this degree, consider applying for a foundation programme.

Funding

Loans and grants

Scholarships and bursaries

Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.

Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.

Careers

Biomedical Engineering graduates find work within the medical device industry or as NHS Clinical Scientists or Clinical Engineers. A significant number go into research careers by studying for a PhD, in areas from stem cells and tissue engineering to biomechanics and implant design.

Because the Biomedical Engineering degree at Queen Mary is a solid, professionally accredited engineering degree, graduates also find employment in traditional areas of engineering.

A small number of Biomedical Engineering graduates also take up places on medicine degrees, including the fast-track graduate entry programme.

Recent Biomedical Engineering graduates have been hired by:

Dow Chemical Company

Fresenius Kabi

the NHS

Xeltis.

Career support

The School of Engineering and Materials Science holds a weekly careers session where employers provide information, advice and skills training. We also run networking events for students to meet employers and alumni.

About the School

The School of Engineering and Materials Science attracts some of the brightest minds from across the country, and the world. The most recent national assessment of the quality of university research (REF 2014) placed us seventh for our general engineering research (Times Higher Education).

Our academic staff have extensive contacts with major industrial companies in engineering and materials science, and there is constant interaction between industry, research and our teaching.

Our students benefit from personal contact with approachable teaching staff in small-group settings, where discussion and feedback is actively encouraged.